Busy Mid-August For Fires

Newton Abbott firefighters, with their mutual-aid partners, have faced two fires in occupied buildings in the district, in a ten-day period.

On August 12 at 12:34 PM, Hamburg Fire Control received a report of black smoke in a residence on Lynwood Avenue. Members had just returned from service as the Rapid Intervention Team at a fire in Orchard Park, whose crews quickly returned the favor. Newton Abbott 2nd Assistant Chief Chad Locher arrived on location and performed a size-up, determining that the residence was evacuated, and that there was a possible basement fire underway. Quint 6 arrived shortly thereafter, and the members made the push into the basement, locating the fire in the dryer, and fortunately confining it to that appliance. After a period of ventilation, the residence was habitable again.

On August 23 at 2:22 PM, Newton Abbott was alerted to a fire at the Regency Court Apartments. Chief Locher arrived on location at the three-story, twelve-unit building, and began evacuations and an effort to confine the hazardous conditions to the source apartment. Chief Brian Evaldi and 1st Assistant George Sweetland arrived and established command, as Quint 6 established a water supply and stretched the line into the apartment. The fire was confined to the kitchen cabinetry around the cooking area, where it apparently began. The fire was under control at 2:39 PM.

The mutual-aid system is a long standing set of agreements between fire companies, ensuring adequate equipment and personnel are available to fight fires, and other hazardous conditions. Companies providing assistance to Newton Abbott at these incidents include Armor, Big Tree, Orchard Park, Scranton, Woodlawn, and Windom.